19:40 Galway

Monday 29 July 2019

All17:2017:5518:2519:0519:4020:1020:40

Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap (70-100) (Premier Handicap)

Off time: 19:41 | Winning time: 3m 44.43s

(9)

Brazos^p⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr B O'Neill| T: J J Murphy| OR: 98

50/1

Four-time winner wasn't at the races latest when a very remote fifth of six behind a smart Ballydoyle winner at the Curragh over this trip. Major bounce back needed.

Form: 310-465

(15)

Arctic Fire^h⁴¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr J C Barry⁽⁵⁾| T: D Cullen| OR: 94| D

25/1

Grade 1 winner over hurdles and placed in the Champion Hurdle back in 2015. Lightly raced on the Flat but impressive when he won at Killarney and respectable effort since in 2m4f Ascot Stakes at Royal meeting gives him a squeak.

Form: 12/16

(18)

Newcross^t⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr R O Harding⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 90

14/1

Comfortable winner of a 1m7f Roscommon handicap latest and despite a 7lb rise for that he looked a promising stayer so is certainly not ruled out first time over 2m.

Form: 1277-31

(6)

Litterale Ci⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Miss A B O'Connor⁽⁷⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 89

20/1

Four-time hurdles scorer won two of her three starts on the Flat back in 2016 when trained in France and was ninth of 16 in ultra-competitive Newbury handicap nine days ago when last seen over this trip. Better chance today.

Form: 511/9

(16)

Baba Boom³⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr D O'Connor| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 88| C

10/1

1m4½f win at last year's festival completed his hat-trick but not seen since and now upped 9lb and quite dramatically up in trip. Could yet improve further and market a guide to readiness.

Form: 75/2111-

(20)

Rovetta¹⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr F Maguire⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 88| CD

25/1

Completed a hat-trick last summer on yielding/soft ground, one over hurdles and two on the Flat. Not at his best when last seen over hurdles and others preferred here after the layoff.

Form: 440/110-

(7)

Legal Spin³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 87

8/1

Back to somewhere near his best on return from eight-month absence at the Curragh when nabbed close home by progressive Shakespear'sgalley. 2lb better off with that rival and now stripping fitter he has strong claims.

Form: 21300-2

(17)

Mr Everest^t⁹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr D G Lavery⁽³⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 87

10/1

Valuable Naas win last November one of two wins over 1m6f in the campaign. Second over hurdles when last seen and highly respected here with 5lb rise for aforementioned not harsh.

Form: 360/131-

(22)

Lustrous Light^p,t¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr E P O'Brien⁽⁷⁾| T: J Motherway| OR: 86

66/1

Not won since 2016 but signs of life on return from a break when second to a 1/7F at Killarney latest. Better hopes here but draw certainly not ideal.

Form: 36/779-2

(4)

Shakespear'sgalley^t⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr T Hamilton⁽⁵⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 86| D

11/1

Three-time winner this season over staying trips was no match for a heavily gambled low-weight Ballydoyle three-year-old at the Curragh latest but kept up his good form to finish second. Bold bid again entirely possible.

Form: 161212

(19)

Great Trango^b¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr J J Codd| T: D H Kelly| OR: 85| CD

12/1

C&D winner last August has been campaigned mostly over hurdles since. 11lb higher today but stays very strongly and chance enhanced if any rain falls.

Form: 2/32331-

(23)

Chess Grand Master^p,t1³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr N Bashford⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 82

33/1

Won twice on the AW last winter but basically looking held by the handicapper this season and from this troublesome draw others are preferred.

Form: 128357

(14)

Royal Illusion⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr M J O'Hare⁽³⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 82| BF

8/1

Dual bumper and dual Flat winner at up to 1m7f ran a more than respectable race when fourth of 14 at the Curragh latest over a surely inadequate 1m4f. Serious chance she's well treated now upped to 2m and very likable sort.

Form: 2114

(12)

Mr Adjudicator²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: R Deegan⁽⁵⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 81| BF

9/4

Winner of a 2m3½f Grade 2 hurdle at Auteuil last month was odds-on when second to stablemate Royal Illusion in a 1m4f Bellewstown contest latest. 6lb pull means reversal very possible and has solid claims here.

Form: 62201/3

(13)

Great White Shark⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Jodie Townend⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 80| BF

8/1

Dual middle-distance Flat winner in 2017 but having won recently over 3m over hurdles she ought to get the 2m trip here well enough. Not ruled out but others from Closutton are preferred.

Form: 118/64-5

(2)

Prospectus^p⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Mr H D Dunne⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 79

40/1

2m Clonmel winner in April but flopped in only run since when last of 10 at Navan. Sure that wasn't his true running and stable's form means he can be expected to return to best now.

Form: 42/12-10

(3)

Act Of God^h²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: Ms L O'Neill| T: E J O'Grady| OR: 78

20/1

Hurdles winner kept on for third behind Royal Illusion in a 1m7f maiden when last seen on the Flat and now 9lb better off with that rival for 1½L he has genuine claims of reversing the form.

Form: 43326-3

(1)

Brawler^p1,t1¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: Mr J Hogan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 78

50/1

Ex-French Flat horse who won on heavy ground over 1m4½f is yet to score in three over hurdles for this yard. Hard to gauge here back on the Flat and up in trip but others probably safer options.

Form: 4/16-

(21)

Dalton Highway^p1⁶⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁷⁾| T: D K Weld| OR: 78

20/1

Winner at the 2016 Festival over 1m½f and won his last start at the Curragh over 2m on good to firm too. Handicap rise here sees him looking a little vulnerable in stronger company but yard's runners here never ignored.

Form: 30520-1

(8)

Neverushacon^p,t⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: Mr L J McGuinness⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 76| C| D

14/1

Returned from nine months off to land the spoils in a 1m4f Curragh handicap earlier in the month and as a previous winner over 1m6f on the Flat he could prove as effective over 2m. Not ruled out here.

Form: 6/5021-1

Non-Runners

(5)

Born By The Sea¹⁷

Weight: 10-5| Age: 5

T: P J Gilligan J: Reserve 1

(10)

Freetown¹⁸

Weight: 10-4| Age: 4

T: L Comer J: Reserve 2

(11)

Vitudurum⁷

Weight: 10-4| Age: 4

T: J G Murphy J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Mr Adjudicator (9/4), Great White Shark (8/1), Royal Illusion (8/1), Legal Spin (8/1), Baba Boom (10/1), Mr Everest (10/1), Shakespear'sgalley (11/1), Great Trango (12/1), Neverushacon (14/1), Newcross (14/1), Dalton Highway (20/1), Litterale Ci (20/1), Act Of God (20/1), Rovetta (25/1), Arctic Fire (25/1), Chess Grand Master (33/1), Born By The Sea (33/1), Prospectus (40/1), Brawler (50/1), Brazos (50/1), Vitudurum (50/1), Freetown (50/1), Lustrous Light (66/1)

Willie Mullins won this last year with Uradel and he is a dab-hand in staying Flat handicaps domestically and in the UK. He has not one, not two but three very strong contenders here and can go better than his 1-2 last year with the 1-2-3 this time around. Closely matched on their recent clash at Bellewstown ROYAL ILLUSION and Mr Adjudicator both have A1 claims with each expected to improve plenty for the step back up to 2m. It could be notable that Patrick Mullins who often gets the pick in such races however rides Legal Spin who ran well after the layoff latest.